Vertical radiographic unit



y 1966 V H. E. KOERNER ETAL 3,254,223

VERTICAL RADIOGRAPHIC UNIT Filed Oct. 15, 1962 AGENT a r e m me o N E VW r 0 H Horace E. Lupt n BYm A United States Patent O The presentinvention relates to Xvray apparatus and more particularly to a verticalradiographic unit.

A prime object of the present invention is to provide an improvedvertical radiographic unit of the type comprising an X-ray tube and afilm cassette holder movable to different angular and spaced-apartpositions on a rockable arm which is pivotally mounted at its center ona vertical carriage which is movable to different vertical positionsalong a vertical column.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improvedvertical radiographic unit which greatly facilitates use of such unit inthe numerous radiographic techniques of which such types of unit can beemployed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become obvious fromthe following description when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, in which: I

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the vertical radiographic unitembodying the invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are section views taken along the lines 11-11 and IIIIII,respectively, in FIG. 1 showing details of the X-ray tube and filmcassette holder counterbalancing arrangements embodied in the improvedunit; and

FIG. 4 is cross-sectional showing of an orientationlocking system forthe film cassette holder embodied in the improved unit.

' Description Referring to FIG. 1 the improved radiographic unit of thepresent invention comprises in general, a rockable arm 1 which carriesan X-ray tube 2 and a film cassette holder 3, and which is pivotallysupported via a shaft 4 on a vertical carriage 5 which in turn issupported via counterbalance cables 6 on a vertical column 7 which, asshown in FIG. 1, is floor-mounted, but which may be otherwise mounted ason such as floor and ceiling tracks, etc. for mobility of the unit. Fullvertical counterbalancing of the equipment supported by the verticalcarriage 5 is effected by counter-weight means 8 within the column 7,via the cables 6. The X-ray tube 2 is suitably mounted for adjustablerotary movement about mutuallyperpendicular axes 9 and 10 on an X-raytube carriage 11 suitably mounted for movement along the arm 1 in adirection perpendicular to each of the axes 9 and 10. The film cassetteholder 3 is mounted via a shaft 12 on a cassette holder carriage 13suitably mounted for movement to selected positions along the arm 1. Thecassette holder 3 and shaft 12 are turnable in unison about the axis ofsuch shaft which extends perpendicular to the direction of travel of thecarriage 13. Sidewise movement of the cassette holder 3 perpendicular tothe axis of shaft 12 and relative thereto may be effected via a crankhandle 14 and an attached screw member 15 which extends inscrew-threaded engagement with an internallythreaded member16 secured tothe outer end of the shaft 12. Locking of the X-ray tube carriage 11 ina selected position along the arm 1' can be effected by a lock tab 17which eifectuates a locking mechanism or brake of suitable type, whilesimilar locks for the cassette holder carriage and the vertical carriagemay be effectuated by lock tabs 18 and 19, respectively.

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In accord with the improvements of the present invention, the X-ray tubecarriage 11 and the cassette holder carriage 13 are independentlymovable along the arm 1. This affords a greater degree of freedom inadjustment of the film cassette holder 3 relative to the X-ray tube 2than heretofore possible which results in a significant reductioninset-up time in any of the numerous techniques which may be employedwith the unit in the various angular and vertical positions of the arm1, the relative angular positions of the X-ray tube 2 and cassetteholder 3, as well as the dilferent relative separation distances of thelatter.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, to permit such independent movement ofthe X-ray tube carriage 11 and the film cassette carriage .13 Withoutdisturbing the balance of the arm 1, each carriage, including itssupported load, is counterbalanced relative to shaft 4 by a respectivecounterweight 22 connected at its opposite ends to respectiveoppositely-extending cables 23 and 24 extending through the arm 1,passing around respective pulleys 25 and 26 rotatably mounted atopposite ends of the arm, thence to respective fixed connections atopposite ends of the particular carriage. The cable 24 for a particularcarriage 11 or 13, as the case may be, may pass freely through.

an opening 27 extending lengthwise through the other carriage. As thearm 1 is viewed in FIG. 1, the two independently-movable counterweights22 (hidden from viewin FIG. 1) will travel along respective parallelpaths along opposite edges of such arm and at opposite sides of theshaft 4 which pivotally supports arm 1. I

As an aid in distinguishing elements 22 to 26 relating to carriage 11from those relating to carriage 13, in the drawings, the numerals 22 to26 relating to carriage 11 are given a subscript a in FIGS. 1 and 3.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, in accord with another feature of thepresent invention, the film cassette holder 3 may be locked to aparticular rotary position about the axis of shaft 12 by depression of acassette-orientationlock-control plunger shaft 29 mounted on thecarriage 13, when the carriage is moved to the center of the arm 1, withthe shaft 12 on which cassette holder 3 is mounted, brought intoalignment with the shaft 4 on which the arm 1 is mounted, as shown inFIG. 4. This feature enables the cassette to be brought into contactwith the patient at an area to be radiographed, and to be locked in suchposition while the arm 1 is moved to different angular positions aboutthe shaft 1 to orient the X-ray tube 2 for a series of 'radiographs ofthe selected region of the patient from the several angles withoutrequiring corresponding movements of the patient. This seriesofradiographs taken from various angles being a common technique, forexample, in X-ray examination of a patients head where the view may beobscured by the skull and an adequate, complete or true picturizationcan be obtained only by shots taken from selected angular positions.

Such cassette-holder-orientation-locking feature is ob tained, FIG. 4,in the aforedescribed center position when plunger shaft 29 isdepressed, by an elongated gear element 32 which constantly'engages agear element 33 secured to the end of the shaft 12 carrying the cassetteholder 3 and is made to also engage a gear element 34 secured to the endof shaft 4 by such depression. In the position in which the parts areshown in FIG. 4, the nonlocked position, rotation of the cassete holder.3 about the axis of shaft 12 relative to the carriage 13 may beeffected by turning the plunger shaft 29, which turns the cassetteholder 3 via gear elements 32 and 33, shaft 12, and member 16 which isin transverse slidable engagement with inner surfaces of cassette holder3. Indication of the selected rotary position is given by a dial 35 onthe carriage 13 and encircling the outer end of the plunger shaft 29.When plunger shaft 29 is depressed, a selected angular position of thecassette holder 3 relative to an immobile patient is held automaticallyduring angular movement of the arm 1 by locking action between thenon-rotary gear element 34 and the gear element 33 as bridged by thegear element 32.

While the foregoing has described the invention in connection with anexemplification embodying certain details which may be preferred, itwill be understood that the, invention as defined by the appendedclaims, embraces modifications and/or details which will become readilyapparent to those versed in the art to which this invention pertains.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a vertical radiographic unit, the combination of an arm rockableabout a horizontal pivot axis, an X-ray tube means on said arm movabletherealong, a film cassette holder turnable about an orientation axisperpendicular to the direction of extension of said arm and movabletherealong to a position in which said orientation axis coincides withsaid pivot axis, and means operable to maintain said film cassetteholder in a selected angular attitude relative to a fixed planecontaining said orientation axis while said holder is in said positionand said arm is rocked about said pivot axis.

2. In a vertical radiographic unit comprising a vertically-movablecarriage, an elongated arm, support means on said vertically-movablecarriage pivotally supporting said arm substantially equidistant itsends for rockable movement about a pivot axis defined by such supportmeans, an X-ray-tube-carrying carriage on said arm movable therealong, afilm-cassette-holder carriage on said arm movable therealong relative tosaid X-ray-tubecarrying carriage, a substantially flat film cassetteholder mounted on said film-cassette-holder carriage and turnable todifferent angular positions about an orientation axis perpendicular tothe direction of extension of said arm, the foregoing being. constructedand arranged to permit said pivot axis and orientation axis to coincidewhen said film-cassette-holder carriage occupies a mid position on saidarm, and means to maintain said film cassette holder in a selectedangular position relative to a fixed plane containing the coincidentaxes, while said arm is rocked about such axes.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2, further including meansbalancing said arm about said pivot axis in all independent longitudinalposition of the X-ray-tubecarrying and film-cassette-holder carriages.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,957,720 5/1934Nelson 25o 57 2,215,654 9/1940 Simon 250 5s 2,441,538 5/1948 Steinhaus2s0 ss RALPH G. NILSON, Primary Examiner.

30 A. L. BIRCH, Assistant Examiner.

2. IN A VERTICAL RADIOGRAPHIC UNIT COMPRISING A VERTICALLY-MOVABLECARRIAGE, AN ELONGATED ARM, SUPPORT MEANS ON SAID VERTICALLY-MOVABLECARRIAGE PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING SAID ARM SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIDISTANT ITSENDS FOR ROCKABLE MOVEMENT ABOUT A PIVOT AXIS DEFINED BY SUCH SUPPORTMEANS, AN X-RAY-TUBE-CARRYING CARRIAGE ON SAID ARM MOVABLE THEREALONG, AFILM-CASSETTE-HOLDER CARRIAGE ON SAID ARM MOVABLE THEREALONG RELATIVE TOSAID X-RAY-TUBECARRYING CARRIAGE, A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT FILM CASSETTEHOLDER MOUNTED ON SAID FILM-CASSETTE-HOLDER CARRIAGE AND TURNABLE TODIFFERENT ANGULAR POSITIONS ABOUT AN ORIENTATION